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Nanaimo, Parksville and Area

in the record books
With 500-plus structures damaged or lost, B.C.'s fire season is among the worst
More than 500 homes or other structures have been destroyed or damaged by wildfires in British Columbia this year, in a level of devastation comparable to some of the worst recent fire seasons. While the area of 4,300 square kilometres burned by the mo...
Aug 19, 2026
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updated play space
'A complete overhaul:' fundraising underway for key Nanaimo CDC renovation
NANAIMO - Pending renovations to an extremely well-used community play space require some financial help. The Nanaimo Child Development Centre (CDC) is launching a new fundraising campaign to collect $25,000 in donations for a total revamp of their outdoor play space, used by over 150 families every week as part of the...
Aug 19, 2026
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fire dangers
Wildfire season tracking to be 4th worst on record; fire risk remains elevated
OTTAWA - Canada is on track for its fourth worst wildfire season on record. At a regular fire briefing in Ottawa Tuesday, federal forecasters said September's fire risk stands to be well above seasonal averages across northern B.C., northern Quebec and...
Aug 18, 2026
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drive sober
'Totally preventable:' drug-impaired drivers a recurring issue on Vancouver Island
NANAIMO - Fewer drivers were removed from B.C. roadways for impaired driving this summer compared to last, but the numbers are still too high. During the BC Highway Patrol's summer impaired driving campaign, 229 driving prohibitions were handed out province-wide from June 15 to July 31, with 32 occurring on Vancouver I...
Aug 18, 2026
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without consent
'He broke that trust:' Port Alberni man jailed for posting intimate videos of ex-girlfriend
Editor's note: This story contains graphic sexual details related to the publication of intimate content. Reader discretion is advised. NANAIMO - A Port Alberni man has been given jail time for posting multiple intimate videos online of a former partner after the relationship ended and she refused to speak with him. Co...
Aug 18, 2026
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too fast
Two riders hospitalized after Nanaimo highway accident at 'high rate of speed'
NANAIMO - Two motorcycle riders were fortunate to escape more serious injuries after crashing into the back of a southbound SUV.The incident happened along the Island Hwy. by Long Lake around 7:45 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 16, and saw a pair of motorcycles crashing into the back of another vehicle.Reserve Cst. Gary O'Brien ...
Aug 17, 2026
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British Columbia

B.C. vet warns of surge in bat encounters after positive rabies test
A veterinarian is warning of a surge in encounters with bats in British Columbia's Sea to Sky region after one of the mammals that had direct contact with a human tested positive for rabies. Jordie Schnarr, managing veterinarian with Coast Mountain Vet...
52m ago
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B.C.'s youngest wildfire evacuees begin processing the return home
An early childhood education expert says young wildfire evacuees are likely to feel the impact on their sense of safety even after they return home. University of British Columbia instructor Negar Khodarahmi says parents returning to the Summerland, B....
1h ago
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Wildfire crews fight weather, terrain on growing blaze near Summerland, B.C.
SUMMERLAND - The British Columbia Wildfire Service says activity has picked up at the Bald Range blaze nearby Summerland due to persistent hot and dry conditions. The service says in an update that winds reaching 30 kilometres an hour are expected to k...
3h ago
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Aisha Estey out as B.C. Conservative president as shakeup continues
VANCOUVER - British Columbia's Opposition Conservatives have replaced party president Aisha Estey as the shakeup under the party's new Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay continues. Former federal Conservative candidate Mauro Francis will step into the job, whi...
3h ago
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'Lucky' collapsed on Amsterdam street. Did he go missing in Vancouver in 1994?
VANCOUVER - Vancouver police say they are working with Dutch counterparts and Interpol to determine if an unidentified man who collapsed on the street in the Netherlands three years ago is a Canadian who went missing in B.C. in the 1990s. Amsterdam pol...
18h ago
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B.C. issues protection order for Salmon River watershed as fish spawn
VICTORIA - The British Columbia government has issued a new temporary protection order for the Salmon River watershed, where chinook salmon have returned to spawn. The Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship says in a news release that the ord...
20h ago
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Canada

A timeline of Donald Trump's trade war with Canada
OTTAWA - Donald Trump was elected to a second term as U.S. President in 2024 and it's been a roller-coaster ever since for Canadian leaders and businesses. He has threatened, enacted, modified and delayed multiple rounds of tariffs, only to announce ad...
1h ago
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B.C.'s youngest wildfire evacuees begin processing the return home
An early childhood education expert says young wildfire evacuees are likely to feel the impact on their sense of safety even after they return home. University of British Columbia instructor Negar Khodarahmi says parents returning to the Summerland, B....
1h ago
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Quebec coroner recommends Montreal police review use of force after 2025 death
MONTREAL - A Quebec coroner is urging Montreal police to review its restraint and use of force practices following the 2025 death of Abisay Cruz. According to Géhane Kamel's report dated Aug. 12, police use of a hogtie restraint technique likely contr...
3h ago
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Wildfire crews fight weather, terrain on growing blaze near Summerland, B.C.
SUMMERLAND - The British Columbia Wildfire Service says activity has picked up at the Bald Range blaze nearby Summerland due to persistent hot and dry conditions. The service says in an update that winds reaching 30 kilometres an hour are expected to k...
3h ago
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Canada silent as Israel clears itself in death of aid workers, including a Canadian
OTTAWA - Israel has concluded its military did not commit a criminal act when it killed a Canadian and six other aid workers in Gaza two years ago. The decision prompted outrage in Australia, where the foreign minister has summoned the Israeli ambassad...
4h ago
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Quebec Conservatives unveil election platform focused on 'pro-family' policies
The Quebec Conservative Party unveiled its election campaign platform on Wednesday, promising tax cuts for families and businesses. The party says its top priorities are increasing Quebecers' wealth, expanding health care services, giving families bre...
4h ago
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